David Hobbs (racing driver)

Last updated

David Hobbs
David Hobbs.jpg
BornDavid Wishart Hobbs
(1939-06-09) 9 June 1939 (age 85)
Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality British
Active years 19671968, 1971, 1974
Teams BRM, Honda, McLaren
Entries7
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 0
First entry 1967 British Grand Prix
Last entry 1974 Italian Grand Prix
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years1962–72, 1979, 1981–85, 1987–89
Teams Team Lotus Engineering
Lola Cars Ltd
Standard Triumph
Maranello Concessionaires
John Wyer Automotive
Roger Penske/Kirk F. White
Equipe Matra-Simca
Grand Touring Cars/Ford France
EMKA Racing
John Fitzpatrick Racing
Joest Racing
Richard Lloyd Racing
Best finish3rd (1969, 1984)
Class wins1 (1982)
NASCAR Cup Series career
2 races run over 1 year
First race 1976 Daytona 500 (Daytona)
Last race 1976 Champion Spark Plug 400 (Michigan)
WinsTop tens Poles
000

David Wishart Hobbs [1] (born 9 June 1939) [2] is a British former racing driver. He worked as a commentator from the mid 1970s for CBS until 1996, Speed from 1996 to 2012 and NBC from 2013 to 2017. In 1969 Hobbs was included in the FIA list of graded drivers, a group of 27 drivers who by their achievements were rated the best in the world. [3] Hobbs was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2009. [4]

Contents

Driving career

Hobbs was born, in Royal Leamington Spa, England, just months before the outbreak of World War II. His career as an international racing driver spanned 30 years at all levels including in sports cars, touring cars, Indy cars, IMSA, Can-Am and Formula One. He has participated in the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Daytona. He made twenty starts in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, finishing in 8th place at the first attempt in 1962, following with a pole position and a best finish of third (in 1969 and 1984) to his credit.

Hobbs was due to make his F1 Grand Prix debut for Tim Parnell Racing at the 1965 French Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand, but a serious road accident put him in hospital for three weeks. [5]

In 1971 Hobbs won the L&M 5000 Continental Championship driving for Carl Hogan out of St. Louis, Missouri, in a McLaren M10B-Chevrolet. He won five of the eight rounds that year at Laguna Seca, Seattle, Road America, Edmonton and Lime Rock. [6] Twelve years later, he would claim the 1983 Trans-Am Series championship as well. He also made two NASCAR Winston Cup starts in 1976, including leading two laps at the 1976 Daytona 500 [7] and drove a race in the 1979 International Race of Champions.

Television commentator

Hobbs provided commentary for Formula One and GP2 races (alongside Bob Varsha and former Benetton mechanic Steve Matchett) until 2013, the SCCA Valvoline runoffs, and parts of the 24 Hours of Daytona. He has also worked for CBS on its Daytona 500 coverage, working as both a colour commentator and a feature/pit reporter from 1979 until 1996, and then moved to Speed in 1996 working as a colour commentator and then moved to NBCSN in 2013. [8] He also worked for ESPN, serving as an analyst for their Formula 1 coverage from 1988 until 1992.

Other appearances

Hobbs appeared in the 1983 comedy film Stroker Ace , playing a TV race announcer. He also appeared in the Cars 2 movie, which premiered in June 2011, as announcer "David Hobbscap", a 1963 Jaguar from Hobbs' real life hometown in England.

Personal life

Hobbs's father, Howard Frederick Hobbs, was an Australian-born engineer and inventor who developed an early version of the automatic transmission, known as the Mecha-Matic. Colin Chapman had this transmission fitted to his Lotus Elite racecars. [9] Hobbs lives in Vero Beach, Florida with his wife, Margaret, with whom he has two sons, Gregory and Guy. In 1986, Hobbs opened a car dealership, David Hobbs Honda, in Glendale, Wisconsin, which was sold to the Van Horn Automotive Group in March 2023. [10] His youngest son, Guy, worked for Speed as a pit reporter on their sports car coverage. He is the grandfather of current racing driver Andrew Hobbs.[ who? ]

Racing record

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789101112131415WDC Pts
1967 Bernard White Racing BRM P261 BRM P60 2.1 V8 RSA MON NED BEL FRA GBR
8
CAN
9
ITA USA MEX NC0
Lola Cars Lola T100 BMW M10 2.0 L4 GER
10 1
1968 Honda Racing F1 Honda RA301 Honda RA301E 3.0 V12 RSA ESP MON BEL NED FRA GBR GER ITA
Ret
CAN USA MEX NC0
1971 Penske-White Racing McLaren M19A Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA
10
NC0
1974 Yardley Team McLaren McLaren M23 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG BRA RSA ESP BEL MON SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT
7
ITA
9
CAN USA NC0
Source: [11]
Notes

Non-Championship Formula One results

(key)

YearEntrantChassisEngine12345678
1964 Merlyn Racing Merlyn Mk7 (F2) Ford Cosworth SCA 1.0 L4 DMT NWT SYR AIN
Ret
INT SOL MED RAN
1966 Reg Parnell Racing Lotus 33 BRM P60 2.0 V8 RSA SYR
3
INT OUL
1968 Bernard White Racing BRM P261 BRM P101 3.0 V12 ROC
9
INT
6
OUL
6
1970 Team Surtees Surtees TS5 (F5000) Chevrolet 5.0 V8 ROC INT
Ret
OUL
1971 Hogan Racing McLaren M10B (F5000) Chevrolet 5.0 V8 ARG ROC QUE
DNQ
SPR INT RIN OUL VIC
1973 Hogan Racing Lola T330 (F5000) Chevrolet 5.0 V8 ROC
Ret
INT
Ret
1974 Hogan Racing Lola T332 (F5000) Chevrolet 5.0 V8 PRE ROC INT
DNS
Source: [11]

Complete British Saloon Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

YearTeamCarClass123456789101112Pos.PtsClass
1962 Peter Berry Racing Ltd Jaguar Mk II 3.8 D SNE
?
GOO
4
AIN
3
SIL
4
CRY AIN BRH
5
OUL 18th86th
1968 Malcolm Gartlan Racing Ford Falcon Sprint D BRH
4
THR
2
SIL
Ret
CRY
Ret†
MAL BRH SIL
1
CRO
2
OUL
3
BRH BRH
2
9th323rd
1970 Pierre de Plessis Chevrolet Camaro Z28 D BRH SNE THR SIL
Ret
CRY SIL SIL CRO BRH OUL BRH BRH NC0NC
Source: [12]

† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

YearTeamCo-driversCarClassLapsPos.Class
pos.
1962 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Team Lotus Engineering Flag of Australia (converted).svg Frank Gardner Lotus Elite Mk14-Climax GT
1.3
2868th1st
1963 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Lola Cars Ltd. Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Richard Attwood Lola Mk6 GT-Ford P
+3.0
151DNFDNF
1964 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Standard Triumph Flag of the Netherlands.svg Rob Slotemaker Triumph Spitfire P
+3.0
27221st3rd
1965 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Standard Triumph Ltd. Flag of the Netherlands.svg Rob Slotemaker Triumph Spitfire GT
1.3
71DNFDNF
1966 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Maranello Concessionaires Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mike Salmon Ferrari Dino 206SP
2.0
14DNFDNF
1967 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Lola Cars Ltd.
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Team Surtees
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Surtees Lola T70 Mk.III-Aston Martin P
+5.0
3DNFDNF
1968 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg J.W. Automotive Engineering Ltd. Flag of Australia (converted).svg Paul Hawkins Ford GT40 Mk. IS
5.0
107DNFDNF
1969 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg J.W. Automotive Engineering Ltd. Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mike Hailwood Ford GT40 Mk. IS
5.0
3683rd2nd
1970 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg J.W. Automotive Engineering Ltd. Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mike Hailwood Porsche 917KS
5.0
49DNFDNF
1971 Flag of the United States.svg Roger Penske
Flag of the United States.svg Kirk F. White
Flag of the United States.svg Mark Donohue Ferrari 512M/PS
5.0
DNFDNF
1972 Flag of France.svg Equipe Matra-Simca Shell Flag of France.svg Jean-Pierre Jabouille Matra-Simca MS660CS
3.0
278DNFDNF
1979 Flag of the United States.svg Grand Touring Cars Ltd.
Flag of France.svg Ford Concessionaires France
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Vern Schuppan
Flag of France.svg Jean-Pierre Jaussaud
Mirage M10-Ford Cosworth S
+2.0
121NCNC
1981 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg EMKA Productions Limited Flag of Ireland.svg Eddie Jordan
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Steve O'Rourke
BMW M1 Gr.5Gr.5236DNFDNF
1982 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Fitzpatrick Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Fitzpatrick Porsche 935/78 Moby Dick IMSA
GTX
3294th1st
1983 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Fitzpatrick Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Fitzpatrick
Flag of Austria.svg Dieter Quester
Porsche 956 C135DNFDNF
1984 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Skoal Bandit Porsche Team Flag of France.svg Philippe Streiff
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Sarel van der Merwe
Porsche 956B C13513rd3rd
1985 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Fitzpatrick Racing Flag of Austria.svg Jo Gartner
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Edwards
Porsche 956B C13664th4th
1987 Flag of Germany.svg Joest Racing Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Sarel van der Merwe
Flag of the United States.svg Chip Robinson
Porsche 962CC14DNFDNF
1988 Flag of Germany.svg Blaupunkt Joest Racing Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Didier Theys
Flag of Austria.svg Franz Konrad
Porsche 962CC13805th5th
1989 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Richard Lloyd Racing Flag of Sweden.svg Steven Andskär
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Damon Hill
Porsche 962C GTiC1228DNFDNF
Source: [13]

Indianapolis 500 results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold - Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics - Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
YearTeamNo.Make123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930NWCCPtsRef
1976 DeWitt Racing 73 Chevy RSD DAY
34
CAR RCH BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL NA0 [14]
Donlavey Racing 9 Ford MCH
17
BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT
Daytona 500
YearTeamManufacturerStartFinish
1976 DeWitt Racing Chevrolet 1634

Complete Bathurst 1000 results

YearTeamCo-driversCarClassLapsPos.Class
pos.
1981 Flag of Australia (converted).svg JPS Team BMW Flag of Australia (converted).svg Allan Grice BMW 635 CSi 6 Cylinder & Rotary1137th2nd
1982 Flag of Australia (converted).svg JPS Team BMW Flag of New Zealand.svg Jim Richards BMW 635 CSi A1575th5th

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References

  1. FIA Year Book of Automobile Sport 1975. Patrick Stephens Ltd. 1975. white p. 37. ISBN   0-85059-195-3.
  2. H. H. Pitt and M. N. Wicks, The Pitt Family of Payneham (Adelaide, 1977)
  3. F.I.A. Year Book of Automobile Sport, P.S.L. Publications Limited., London, 1969.
  4. David Hobbs at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
  5. "FORMULA ONE - HOBBS: The North American Swing". Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  6. Trenton Evening Times, 7 September 1971, Page 37.
  7. "David Hobbs 1976 Winston Cup Results – Racing-Reference.info". Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2007.
  8. Hobbs, David (September 2012). "In Racing, Broadcasting: Timing is Everything". Road & Track . 64 (1): 94.
  9. "Howard Frederick Hobbs and His Transmission Heritage". 2020.
  10. "Plymouth-based van Horn Auto Group acquires David Hobbs Honda in Glendale". 9 March 2023.
  11. 1 2 "David Hobbs – Biography". MotorSportMagazine. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  12. de Jong, Frank. "British Saloon Car Championship". History of Touring Car Racing 1952-1993. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  13. "All Results of David Hobbs". RacingSportCars. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  14. "David Hobbs − 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
Sporting positions
Preceded by US Formula A/F5000
Champion

1971
Succeeded by